Irish Employment Minister Mary Coughlan has pushed through a number of measures to help over 3,000 out of work construction industry apprentices complete their training.

Around 3,600 spaces have been made available for redundant apprentices under the schemes.

Ms Coughlan said it is essential young apprentices are given every opportunity to conclude their training.

She said this would put them in a prime position to benefit from employment opportunities when the upturn arrives.

"To achieve this we have ring-fenced funding to ensure that apprentices that have been made redundant can take a further step towards qualification this year," said the Minister.

Ms Coughlan announced the continuation of Employer Based Redundant Apprentice Rotation Scheme.

Launched in January, the scheme provides on-the-job training placements for 500 redundant apprentices with employers who have released their own employed apprentices for off-the-job training.

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Minister Coughlan said the FÁS and ESB Networks have agreed the placement on a phased basis of 400 redundant electrical apprentices to allow them to complete their on-the-job training and assessments.

The Institutes of Technology are providing 700 places on an 11-week certified training programme for those redundant apprentices who have completed their phase four training, but who are not eligible for off-the-job training opportunities.

The programme is divided into construction and engineering streams and provides redundant apprentices with education and training support in a number of relevant trades areas.

"Scheduling rules for off-the-job training have been amended to permit redundant apprentices to progress to their next off-the-job training phases rather than wait until they have secured the intermediate on-the-job phase," said the Minister.

This change has already permitted 1,115 apprentices to attend phase four and phase six training to date in 2009 and will, by the end of this year, facilitate up to a total of 2,000 redundant apprentices.

"Léargas has provided funding towards the cost of placing redundant phase seven apprentices with employers in Germany. Some 20 apprentices are currently in Germany and a further 60 apprentice placements has been approved," said Ms Coughlan.

The Minister pledged that she, together with FÁS and other relevant stakeholders, will continue to seek to maximise all available opportunities for redundant apprentices to progress within the apprenticeship system, and that the situation is being monitored on an ongoing basis.

(PR/JM)